KABOOM!
KaBoom is a national non-profit dedicated to restoring play to all children. According to KaBoom:
“America’s kids are playing less than any previous generation. Only one in four adolescents get the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity or active play per day, with the number of younger kids only slightly higher. Because of this, they are increasingly unhappy, unhealthy and falling behind: one in three kids is obese or overweight and one in five kids has a mental illness. Moreover, kids are not developing critical 21st century skills—such as collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, resilience and empathy—that they will need to succeed as adults in the global economy. Additionally, one of the major barriers to healthy development — particularly for the 16 million children living in poverty — is toxic stress.
In particular, low-income families and children face many structural obstacles to play. For example, declining recess, a lack of safe places to play, overly-structured schedules, too early specialization, and too much screen time have all replaced balanced and active play.
However, families and children also face behavioral barriers to play, as research shows that families want to play — and know that it is important – but often do not make the decision to play, even if a playground is relatively close by.”
The Portland Promise Center has been selected to receive a KaBOOM playground from a national nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that all kids have access to facilities that provide balanced and active play. Childhood obesity is on the rise and Portland children need a safe and engaging space to encourage a more active lifestyle. The Beyond the Walls Team is ready to pitch in and help make this a reality.
The entire playground is scheduled to be completed in one day and will rely on 250 volunteers to make it happen. If you’re interested in doing something awesome and building a playground, contact:
Brad Matthews at baldeagle2014@att.net or
Jill Ramsey at juliatwhite@hotmail.com
Volunteer now to make an awesome difference in the lives of so many Louisville children! Sign up by clicking below!